IMG-LOGO

Alleged Hydra Administrator Dmitry Pavlov Reportedly Arrested In Russia

News Feed - 2022-04-17 06:04:18

Alleged Hydra Administrator Dmitry Pavlov Reportedly Arrested In Russia


A district court in Moscow has arrested a man whom local media reports identify as Dmitry Pavlov, alleged administrator of the recently shut down darknet market Hydra. Russian authorities believe he has been involved in drug-related crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Moscow Court Arrests Russian Believed to Be Hydra Administrator


Meshchansky District Court of Moscow has taken into custody a certain Dmitry Olegovich Pavlov accused of production, sale, and distribution of drugs under Russia’s Criminal Code, the “Moscow” City News Agency reported this week, quoting the court’s press service.


Pavlov, who was arrested on Monday, April 11, has the same names as a 30-year-old Russian citizen and resident charged for similar offenses in relation to his alleged role as an administrator of the recently busted Hydra Market, one of the largest marketplaces on the darknet.


Earlier this month, German law enforcement seized Hydra’s server infrastructure in the country and took down the Russian-language platform’s website. The operation was carried with support from several U.S. agencies.


On April 5, the U.S. Department of Justice announced criminal charges against Dmitry Pavlov for conspiracy to distribute narcotics and conspiracy to commit money laundering. According to an indictment filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the Russian is also accused of administering and providing hosting services to Hydra.


The Russian business daily Kommersant quoted Pavlov telling the BBC on April 6 he had not been contacted by U.S. authorities and that he learned about the charges from the media. He also insisted his company had all the necessary licenses from Roskomnadzor, Russia’s communications watchdog, and was not administering any websites but only leasing servers as an intermediary.


The United States has been alleging the Russian Federation’s involvement with crypto-related criminal organizations, including darknet markets (DNMs) and ransomware actors. In September, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Russia-based crypto broker Suex, believed to have received more than $20 million from DNMs like Hydra.


The department also imposed sanctions on Hydra itself — which had been active since at least 2015 and had around 17 million customers before it was shut down — and on a cryptocurrency exchange called Garantex, suspected of processing over $2.6 million in transactions from the darknet market platform. Tags in this story administrator, Arrest, Court, Crypto, Cryptocurrencies, Cryptocurrency, darknet, darknet market, detention, Hydra, Hydra Market, Marketplace, Moscow, operator, Russia, russian, Russian Federation


Do you expect other arrests in Russia in connection with the Hydra case? Tell us in the comments section below. Lubomir Tassev


Lubomir Tassev is a journalist from tech-savvy Eastern Europe who likes Hitchens’s quote: “Being a writer is what I am, rather than what I do.” Besides crypto, blockchain and fintech, international politics and economics are two other sources of inspiration. NBA Launches Initiative Dedicated to Web3, Metaverse, and NFT Collectibles NEWS | 3 hours ago ETH Mixer Tornado Cash Reveals Blocking OFAC Sanctioned Ethereum Addresses via Chainalysis Oracle Contract NEWS | 5 hours ago


Image Credits: Shutterstock, Pixabay, Wiki Commons Previous articleNBA Launches Initiative Dedicated to Web3, Metaverse, and NFT Collectibles Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. It is not a direct offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell, or a recommendation or endorsement of any products, services, or companies. Bitcoin.com does not provide investment, tax, legal, or accounting advice. Neither the company nor the author is responsible, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with the use of or reliance on any content, goods or services mentioned in this article. Read disclaimerShow comments More Popular NewsIn Case You Missed ItKenya Central Bank Governor: Low Smartphone Penetration Working Against Plan to Launch CBDC


According to Patrick Njoroge, the governor of the Kenyan central bank, the significant number of non-smartphones that are in use in Kenya means launching a central bank digital currency (CBDC) now may be premature and could lead to many citizens ... read more.19 Million Bitcoin Have Been Mined Into Circulation, 2 Million Left to Be Found Bandai Namco Announces Gundam Themed Metaverse Sanctions Motivate Russia to Create Own Crypto Market Infrastructure, Finance Ministry Says Vaneck Report Calculates Bitcoin Price Could Tap $4.8M if BTC Becomes the Global Reserve Currency